1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a fence bracket and more particularly to a bracket for securing a variety of items on a metal t-post.
2. Background Art
Steel posts having different shapes are often used in fence building as inexpensive and easily installed posts, particularly for temporary fences or to fence in large areas such as fields for animals.
Fences have been designed and constructed wherein horizontal rails are secured to vertical metal fence posts by means of hooks or clasps. For example, Bettis U.S. Pat. No. 57,073 discloses the use of iron hooks which surround a circular metal fence post and which are secured at a desired height on the post by a wedge or key. Overlapping horizontal boards extend through a front portion of the iron hook and are supported thereby.
Landreville U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,201 is a bracket for mounting fence rails and other items to common rolled metal post wherein the bracket is designed to fit and slip over the top of the t-post
Smrt U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,122 discloses a fence bracket for mounting adjacent fence rails in fixed relation with first and second fingers engaging the flange of the t-post.
The first two devices described above have various disadvantages. The metallic clasp of Gleason can be installed while wire is fixed on the post. However, the clasp is only capable of use with one type offence post, i.e. those having a recess on one face thereof This type offence post is not in wide use today and hence the Gleason clasp currently has limited usefulness. The Smrt patent is able to be used while the t-post is supporting other fencing, however its use is specific for holding rails and is shaped for that purpose.
There is a need for a t-post fence bracket that can be adjustable to any height and used to hold or secure a variety of materials including buckets, rails, tubs, chains, electronic equipment, solar panels and the like. A bracket that can support a large volume of weight is also needed. The need for a fence bracket as described that can also be used while the post is being used as a post for fencing is useful.
In accordance with the present invention, a fence bracket is provided for mounting rails, buckets or tubs for feeding or watering animals, other electronic equipment, electric eye or an item that needs to hang from the fence post such as a chain. The fence bracket is designed and adapted to be used on widely used metal fence posts and can be installed even while the post is supporting other fencing apparatus. The bracket is constructed of rigid material and is shaped relatively rectangular and has three plates that are stamped from one piece of rigid material to allow for the bracket to slip over and hang from the top of the post and attach to the post protrusions. The bracket attaches to a fence post having a substantially flat front face having width, and at least one rearwardly projecting protrusion.
More particularly, a first embodiment of the fence bracket of the present invention is particularly adapted for use on T-shaped metal fence posts having a rearward face with a series of protrusions longitudinally spaced along the face. The bracket includes a combination of three plates stamped from one piece of metal or rigid material. For ease of description the bracket is referred to as three plates. The most common means of manufacture is stamping from one piece that is shaped with the ends at an angle. The first plate, the top plate, is stamped to the second plate, a flat back plate, at approximately a 30 degree angle. The flat back plate and a third plate, the bottom plate, are stamped at approximately a 30 degree. A fourth plate may be stamped to the flat back plate. The top plate is formed with a cut out shaped and designed to fit over the top of the t-post. The flat back plate fits flat against the front of the t-post. The bottom plate is designed with a notch at the bottom edge to engage a protrusion of the t-post to limit movement of the bracket on the post.
A plastic tie is used to attach the bottom plate to the t-post rather that the nut and bolt, which may be the most common practice. In a second embodiment, the bottom plate can be adapted with a u-hook to the back side of the plate to be placed around the fence post and used to hold the bracket in place and prevent movement rather than the nut and bolt. Two screw holes are also cut into the bottom plate to further secure the bracket with nuts and bolts. The nut and bolt may be fastened through the t-post and holes of the bottom plate to permanently attach the bracket to the t-post.
The flat back plate is then utilized to attach a variety and unlimited number of items such as sensors, nozzles, solar panels, rings or u-hooks to hold a chain or rope between two t-posts, sections to hold a gate, support a salt block or any other number of uses. One or more fasteners, such as a screw, nut, bolt, may be driven through the flat back plate to securely fasten an object to them. As previously discussed, a fourth plate may be stamped to the flat back plate to attach or hold items.
The design of the bracket will support a large amount of weight in comparison to its size. The bracket when in use, encompasses the support of the upright t-post when supporting the weight of an object. The bracket is removable and portable as it is a lightweight bracket. More than one bracket may be place on one t-post or a series of brackets can be place on a series of t-post to hold a very long item up from the ground such as a rail or hose. The bracket is preferably a unitary member stamped from relatively heavy gauge sheet metal, plastic or other resilient material.
The bracket is easily assembled on the post and in the field. In some instances there is no need to remove the existing fencing apparatus which is already supported by the post in order to use the present invention.